ween ten and twenty-one years amounts to 42,405. In
this city there are 62,238 persons over ten who cannot write, of whom
53,791 are of foreign birth. Of minors between ten and twenty-one, there
are here 8,017 illiterates.

Now, it must be manifest to the dullest mind, that a republic like ours,
resting on universal suffrage, is in the utmost danger from such a mass
of ignorance at its foundation. That nearly six persons (5.7) in every
one hundred in the Northern States should be uneducated, and thirty out
of the hundred in the Southern, is certainly an alarming fact. From this
dense ignorant multitude of human beings proceed most of the crimes of
the community; these are the tools of unprincipled politicians; these
form "the dangerous classes" of the city. So strongly has this danger
been felt, especially from the ignorant masses of the Southern States,
both black and white, that Congress has organized a National Bureau of
Education, and, for the first time in our history, is taking upon itself
to a limited degree, the care of education in the States. The law making
appropriations of public lands for purposes of education, in proportion
to the illiteracy of each State, will undoubtedly at some period be
passed, and then encouragement will be given by the Federal Government
to universal popular education. As long as five millions of our people
cannot write, there is no wisdom in arguing against interference of the
General Government in so vital a matter.

During the past two years all intelligent Americans have been struck by
the excellent discipline and immense well-directed energy shown by the
Prussian nation--plainly the results of the universal and enforced
education of the people. The leading Power of Europe evidently bases its
strength on the law of Compulsory Education. Very earnest attention has
been given in this country to the subject. Several States are
approaching the adoption of such a law. California is reported to favor
it, as well as Illinois. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut
have began compulsory education by their legislation on factory
children, compelling parents to educate their children a certain number
of hours each day. Even Great Britain is drawing near it by her late
School acts, and must eventually pass such laws. In our own State,
where, of all the free States, the greatest illiteracy exists, there has
been much backwardness in this matter. But, under the new movements for
reform